


Blue Moon

by Living_Pretty



Series: The Way You Look Tonight [2]
Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:47:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25826899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Living_Pretty/pseuds/Living_Pretty
Summary: “This is all very,” he cleared his throat, his voice sounding strained even to him, “unnecessary.” He finished, glowering in at the party. To his surprise, the detective only laughed, and some of the tension coiling inside him relaxed at the sound.“There is a little more to life besides necessity, Adam.”Part two of my self indulgent gala series!
Relationships: Female Detective/Adam du Mortain
Series: The Way You Look Tonight [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1864132
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	Blue Moon

“The banner really is a bit of an overkill, isn’t it?”

Tina snorted into her flute of champagne and Emma Jean had to bite her lip to stop from laughing. 

“What?” Said Tina, hazel eyes bright and eyelids sparkling with copper eyeshadow, “You don’t think it’s a nice gesture?” She nodded to the enormous golden banner emblazoned with the words _Thank You!_ in glittering black letters, spanning the entire wall of city hall.

“I thought this whole affair was the gesture,” said Emma Jean, sweeping her arm out towards the gala in full swing around them. Everyone in the police department, the eternity of city hall’s staff, and even the post office employees who should have retired twenty years ago were in attendance, and all of them dressed to the nines. Even Douglas had managed to comb his hair back from his eyes and was wearing a blue bowtie, a fact he seemed all too eager to display. Emma Jean quickly turned away before their eyes could meet again. 

“Hey, I’m up for any excuse that gets the fire station crew looking like  _ that _ ,” said Tina, resting her elbows on the sumptuous red tablecloth and nodding towards the group gathered around the buffet table. Emma Jean glanced over at the firefighters and did have to admit, they did look rather dashing in their suits. “Speaking of lookers,” said Tina, her pink lacquered lips slowly lifting in a smile, “where is your Unit Bravo? I have a feeling they’re the real reason Mayor Friedman is throwing this shindig.”

“I don’t know if I would call Unit Bravo civil servants,” scoffed Emma Jean.  _ At least, I wouldn’t group them in with the postmaster and the fire department. _

“Eh, I don’t think ‘Celebrating Civil Servants’ was ever on the mayor’s mind,” said Tina, rolling her eyes, “I’m pretty sure this whole thing is to impress your mum.” 

Emma Jean winced and glanced over to where her mother stood trapped in a conversation with the mayor. As usual, her mother managed to look both professional and almost regal in her simple black dress, with her hair twisted up in a sleek chignon. What was unusual though, was how she shifted from foot to foot, clearly eager to escape the mayor’s company. Emma Jean shook her head in sympathy, but even though she and her mother were on better terms than they’d ever been before, she didn’t intend to put herself in the Mayor’s path in the name of a rescue mission. Maybe she would send Nate in, if he ever arrived.

“Well, I’m pretty sure a fancy party isn’t going to do the trick for my Mum or Unit Bravo,” she frowned and glanced down at her phone, partially concealed in the clutch she’d had to dig out from back in her college days when she’d actually gone out, “if the latter even bother to show up.”

As soon as she finished speaking, her phone buzzed and she looked down again to see a message

_ Agent Awesome (Felix) _

_ Headed your way!!! M put up a fight about the dress code _

She shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips as she typed back her response,

_ Lol I can only imagine. See you soon. _

“Well,” said Tina with a smirk, “the party might not impress, but I think I know of at least one agent who will be  _ very  _ impressed tonight. You look amazing.”

Emma Jean flushed and cleared her throat, reaching up and tucking an errant curl back behind her ear. She hadn’t had an occasion to get so dressed up in a long time, and was mostly relieved to find that the dress she’d scrounged from the back of her closet still fit, though the back was significantly lower than she remembered.

“Well, it will certainly be a change, that’s for sure,” Murmured Emma Jean, brushing a hand down the midnight blue velvet of her dress. She was regretting the choice of material as the mere thought of seeing Adam, especially dressed the way that she was, had the room’s temperature racking up a few degrees.

Tina laughed, “He’s not even here yet and you’re already hot and bothered?”

“I am not!” Protested the detective, though she felt sure she was blushing up to her ears. She stood up suddenly, her knee crashing into the table and sending it screeching across the marble floor, causing a few heads to jerk their way. “I uh,” she stammered, blushing so brightly that the freckles dotting her face became invisible, “I’m going to get some air.”

“That or you’ll be waiting on the steps for Commanding Agent Handsome?” Said Tina and Emma Jean quickly turned on the spot, focusing all of her energy into not wobbling in her heels. With what little dignity she could scrounge, she marched from the ballroom, still feeling Tina’s delighted grin pinned to her back.

* * *

“This is ridiculous,” muttered Mason, arms folded angrily across his chest, cigarette clamped stubbornly between his lips. He’d voiced the very same opinion multiple times at the Warehouse, and now, stomping along the sidewalk leading to City Hall he decided to voice it again, just for good measure. His black dress shirt was going to be wrinkled by the time they arrived, a fact that Nate was probably going to lament considering the effort he’d put in to iron the day before. 

“I think it’s going to be fun,” Said Felix, who had even more of a spring in his step than was usual for the enthusiastic young agent. His own elaborate blue suit jacket glimmered faintly in the dull streetlights, and he kept running his hands over the material, delight dancing in his amber eyes.

“It will be a welcome change of pace,” agreed Nate, a gentle smile gracing his lips. Out of all of them, he looked the most at ease in his dark red tuxedo jacket and crisply pressed black pants. 

Adam didn’t bother voicing his disagreement. He had been on edge ever since Agent Ryder had informed them of the regrettably mandatory event. Two weeks ago. 

“Besides,” said Felix, slyly dropping back to walk in step with their leader, “I bet our lovely Emma Jean is going to look  _ extra  _ lovely tonight, don’t you think so Adam?”

“I’m sure the Detective will be suitably dressed for the evening,” said Adam, refusing to look down at Felix’s grinning face. 

“Is that why you took so long fussing with your tie before we left? So you would look suitable too?”

Mason snickered and Adam glared at them both, shoulders tense beneath his simple black jacket. He resisted the urge to adjust his grey tie as they stopped at the bottom of the stone stairs leading up to City Hall.

“Finally, I was starting to worry you had all bailed on me.”

Adam looked up and froze, one foot on the stair and the railing clutched in his hand.

The Detective stood at the head of the stairs, leaning her hip against the railing, wreathed in the warm light spilling out of the open doors behind her. Her dark red hair, usually held back in a ponytail, was swept to the side and tumbled in gentle waves over her bare shoulder. Her eyes met his and his grip on the railing became vice like.

“Wow, Emma Jean you look incredible!” Said Felix. Emma Jean blushed and Adam quickly let go of the railing, though there was already a discernible dent in it. 

“Thanks,” she said brightly, “you’re not half bad yourself.”

The rest of the group’s small talk was an errant buzzing in Adam’s ear and he shook his head, tearing his gaze away from Emma Jean and looking past her towards City Hall, quickly marking all of its entrances and exits. While it was a surprisingly elegant building, his frown deepened as he realized just how vulnerable it was. 

“You know, you should try and look a  _ little  _ less stoic,”

Adam’s already stiff shoulders tensed even more as he looked down to see the detective, now standing directly in front of him, arms crossed tight against her chest in the chill, but still smiling up at him. Adam swallowed hard.

“I know you told me you don’t get invited to a lot of parties,” she continued, shifting closer as a soft breeze rustled the blossoms of the hazel tree in the square behind them, “but you should try and smile at the one being held for you. At least once.”

“I didn't ask for anyone to throw a party,” he said stiffly, “I didn’t join the Agency hoping for praise.”

“Doesn’t mean you don’t deserve it,” she replied, lips twitching in a smile. She jerked her head towards the entrance, where the rest of the team had already slipped through, “Come on. You might be fine to stand around out here in the cold but I’m freezing.”

She reached out and took his hand, sending a sudden rush of heat across his skin, and tugged him further up the stairs. She didn’t let go as they reached the top. They stood together in the doorway, the warmth and glow of the party washing over them, as the cold night air swept in from behind. Adam looked from the party goers swirling across the dance floor down to Emma Jean, who was still holding his hand, her fingers slowly warming against his own. With the moon full and bright overhead, he could count every freckle dotting her shoulders and trailing down her back. He shook his head, tearing his eyes away from the sight with difficulty.

“This is all very,” he cleared his throat, his voice sounding strained even to him, “unnecessary.” He finished, glowering in at the party.

To his surprise, Emma Jean only laughed, and some of the tension coiling inside him relaxed at the sound, “There is a little more to life besides necessity, Adam.” 

Her fingers gently slid from his as she crossed the threshold, pausing to look back at him with a soft smile lifting her lips. She jerked her head towards the rest of the team, who were gathered around a table, 

“So,” she held out her hand, “are you coming?”

He felt as if he were balanced on a knife’s blade. Unbidden, the fortune teller’s words from weeks ago drifted into mind,

_ Life on the edge is no life at all. _

Adam took a deep breath, and stepped over the threshold.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes this is cheesy and no one asked for it and yes the title is a Frank Sinatra sound and no, I don't have any regrets.


End file.
